Death penalty sought

A Guernsey County Common Pleas Court grand jury has agreed with investigators, indicting Marvin G. Johnson, 36, on five felony charges, including two aggravated murder charges containing capital offense specifications.

The remaining three charges returned by the grand jury Friday included kidnapping, rape and aggravated robbery, all first-degree felonies. All of the offenses allegedly took place at the same Stewart Avenue home where the victim resided with his mother and sister.

The grand jury returned two aggravated murder charges with death penalty specifications against Marvin Johnson, said Guernsey County Prosecuting Attorney C. Keith Plummer. The first count charges him with purposely causing the death of another (Daniel Bailey) while committing the offenses of kidnapping, rape and aggravated robbery, and the second count charges prior calculation and design (for the murder).

He can be convicted of both offenses, but he can only be sentenced on one charge. He faces the death penalty on each (aggravated murder) charge, said Plummer.

Johnson is scheduled to be arraigned in the Common Pleas Court on Monday, Sept. 15 at 1 p.m. He is currently incarcerated on a $1 million bond set by Cambridge Municipal Court Judge John Mark Nicholson.

Investigators believe Johnson beat 13-year-old Daniel Bailey to death with a blunt object during the early morning hours of Aug. 15. Baileys body was found at approximately 9 a.m. that day by his mother, Constantina Tina Bailey.

Daniel Bailey was reportedly home alone when the killing took place. Detectives said they found evidence of the assault in multiple rooms, but Constantina Bailey reportedly found her sons body in the basement of the home.

Detectives believe the boy was killed in the basement. Authorities said Daniel Bailey was the kidnapping victim, while Constantina Bailey was named the victim of the aggravated robbery charge.

Authorities contend Johnson was waiting for Constantina Bailey when she returned home from work at a local hospital.

Cambridge police detectives have said a confrontation took place that morning involving both Johnson and Bailey. Detectives have declined to offer additional details regarding the confrontation.

Following the confrontation with Constantina Bailey, Johnson reportedly left the home and traveled on foot to a Gomber Avenue residence, where he summoned a taxi cab.

Johnson was then taken to Zanesville at his request, and police detectives learned of his intended destination while he was en route and Zanesville police were alerted.

Once in Zanesville, Johnson reportedly led police and deputies from the Muskingum County Sheriffs Office on a brief foot pursuit into Chaps Run Park. He was then taken into custody with the help of the sheriffs K-9 unit.